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Half A Dog, Twice The Love: Rescued Puppy Born With 2 Legs Needs Your Help

Ever since he was born, Bonsai the Bulldog puppy has had the cards stacked against him – he was born with 2 legs and a host of other genetic disorders that have made life difficult. Thanks to his loving owners and community support, however, he is surviving to live life to the fullest!

Bonsai’s two stunted, lame hind legs were recently amputated. He also has no functional pelvis and a deformed lower spine. His front legs exhibit legs “Swimmer Puppy” syndrome, which prevents him from standing on his front legs correctly and places excess pressure on his internal organs. This, in turn, might have been caused by the large internal sack of fluid he was born with. He was born to English Bulldog breeders in Arkansas.

Friends Of Emma, an organization in Texas dedicated to helping care for dogs with cleft palates and other congenital defects, is helping Bonsai’s owners take care of him, paying for veterinary bills and other essentials like diapers and wipes.

About the author

There is a beast with heart of cold stone
that dashes like lightning, shreds flesh from bone. //
Bewitched by this beast, I fell to my knees.
My mouth babbled madness and mumbled soft pleas. //
I stared down the ravenous, gnashing dark maw of a cute cuddly kitten with yarn in its paw

Okay, but then, let's also do it with disabled little humans who wouldn't stand a chance in a natural environment (by that I mean out of medical care and lifetime family care). No? Why? Because they are humans and deserve more to live? Humans are just animals so they should receive the same treatment as the other animals.
After all, some say there are plenty of healthy dogs in the shelters but you know, there are also plenty of healthy children in the system, waiting for a loving family.
You are shocked aren't you? "Oh my god, how can she compare humans to dogs?", "An heretic! Let's burn her at the stake!", "What a monster!". Suit yourselves, whatever you think, I think the same about you.

disabled humans understand what is wrong with them and have the tools and resources to help themselves. they also can learn to take care of themselves in terms of mobility, feeding, pain management, etc. as humans we also understand why we feel what we feel, dogs don't have that ability. no one can explain to bonsai why his front legs won't work and why he was cut in half.

Well, as much as I am an animal lover, I don't think human and animal life are equal.
I do not think we should burn you at the stake, however. Why are you so full of anger and defending yourself even when you are not offended? Why do you think same about me?
"Humans are just animals so they should receive the same treatment as the other animals"?
We human are the ones giving treatment. We are the ones who go out of our way to help the other life-forms, but of course we will be more compassionate to our own kind.

Totally agree with you Romain Plancher. It's too easy to want to save every human possible (even the ones who want to die by practicing use of intensive medication even when we know there is no hope and they beg us to let them go) and to sacrifice every other form of life without blinking an eye because we find it easier for US (you won't make me actually believe that it is for THEM).

In a natural environment, there might not be any bull dogs or pugs left. Watch Animal Planet sometime... many of these breeds are so short, and with such narrow hips, that they can't even physically mate properly. The only way that puppies can be created is by artificial insemination. So yes, breeders HAVE done this... but that doesn't mean we shouldn't do all we can to care for the victims of those breeders' actions.

I agree. I'm an animal lover but sometimes you have to decide against your human instinct to save all the sad little critters. They should have ended this pitty full life before it got this far, as hard as it may seem.

Bridget - have you ever watched a litter of puppies, or even kittens, from birth? They ALL struggle to roll over, to crawl, to stand, etc. Just like human babies, they have to build up those muscles with practice before they can master the action. ************ Granted, he has to work a bit harder, and it will take a bit longer.... but he's doing exactly what ANY puppy has to do to be able to roll themselves over... practice it!!

Sadly, it's the unnatural environment of purebred breeding that has caused this. Inbreeding and breeding for these characteristics of shorter, stubbier legs and wrinkled faces. This species didn't look like this a century and a half ago. It's absolute cruelty to continue these practices: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/magazine/can-the-bulldog-be-saved.html?_r=0
I think the breeders have every responsibility with this. The problem might be rooted generations back.

Okay, but then, let's also do it with disabled little humans who wouldn't stand a chance in a natural environment (by that I mean out of medical care and lifetime family care). No? Why? Because they are humans and deserve more to live? Humans are just animals so they should receive the same treatment as the other animals.
After all, some say there are plenty of healthy dogs in the shelters but you know, there are also plenty of healthy children in the system, waiting for a loving family.
You are shocked aren't you? "Oh my god, how can she compare humans to dogs?", "An heretic! Let's burn her at the stake!", "What a monster!". Suit yourselves, whatever you think, I think the same about you.

disabled humans understand what is wrong with them and have the tools and resources to help themselves. they also can learn to take care of themselves in terms of mobility, feeding, pain management, etc. as humans we also understand why we feel what we feel, dogs don't have that ability. no one can explain to bonsai why his front legs won't work and why he was cut in half.

Well, as much as I am an animal lover, I don't think human and animal life are equal.
I do not think we should burn you at the stake, however. Why are you so full of anger and defending yourself even when you are not offended? Why do you think same about me?
"Humans are just animals so they should receive the same treatment as the other animals"?
We human are the ones giving treatment. We are the ones who go out of our way to help the other life-forms, but of course we will be more compassionate to our own kind.

Totally agree with you Romain Plancher. It's too easy to want to save every human possible (even the ones who want to die by practicing use of intensive medication even when we know there is no hope and they beg us to let them go) and to sacrifice every other form of life without blinking an eye because we find it easier for US (you won't make me actually believe that it is for THEM).

In a natural environment, there might not be any bull dogs or pugs left. Watch Animal Planet sometime... many of these breeds are so short, and with such narrow hips, that they can't even physically mate properly. The only way that puppies can be created is by artificial insemination. So yes, breeders HAVE done this... but that doesn't mean we shouldn't do all we can to care for the victims of those breeders' actions.

I agree. I'm an animal lover but sometimes you have to decide against your human instinct to save all the sad little critters. They should have ended this pitty full life before it got this far, as hard as it may seem.

Bridget - have you ever watched a litter of puppies, or even kittens, from birth? They ALL struggle to roll over, to crawl, to stand, etc. Just like human babies, they have to build up those muscles with practice before they can master the action. ************ Granted, he has to work a bit harder, and it will take a bit longer.... but he's doing exactly what ANY puppy has to do to be able to roll themselves over... practice it!!

Sadly, it's the unnatural environment of purebred breeding that has caused this. Inbreeding and breeding for these characteristics of shorter, stubbier legs and wrinkled faces. This species didn't look like this a century and a half ago. It's absolute cruelty to continue these practices: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/27/magazine/can-the-bulldog-be-saved.html?_r=0
I think the breeders have every responsibility with this. The problem might be rooted generations back.